1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to transportation apparatus for moving people between spaced landings, such as moving stairways and walks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Transportation apparatus for moving people from one landing to another, of the type which includes a belt, or a plurality of steps, platforms or pallets, such as moving stairways and walks, often utilize a plurality of transparent panel members aligned in end-to-end relation to provide a balustrade. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,170,557; 3,283,878; 3,321,059; 3,353,650 and 3,653,484 illustrate transportation apparatus of this type.
The transparent panels provide a spacious, inviting, unencumbered appearance, and it is desirable to add to this effect by eliminating as much visible structure as possible. Certain prior art apparatus with transparent balustrades utilize balustrade posts disposed between the adjoining ends of transparent balustrade panels, in order to provide support for the panels as well as for a handrail guide assembly mounted on the top edge of each balustrade. In order to reduce the amount of visible structure, certain prior art transportation apparatus eliminates the balustrade posts and utilizes a mechanical clamping arrangement having movable parts for mounting the handrail guide assembly on the upper edge of the balustrade.
The lack of structure in the balustrade has been extended still further by copending application Ser. No. 551,558, filed Feb. 20, 1975, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, which discloses a handrail guide assembly which mounts on the upper edge of the balustrade without requiring movable parts. The handrail guide assembly disclosed in this copending application allows the vertical centerlines of the glass panels of the balustrade, the handrail guide assembly, and the handrail to be aligned. The structure of this handrail guide assembly is so compact that it is barely visible below the handrail, and since the vertical centerlines of the handrail and glass panels are aligned, it provides the pleasing effect of the handrail traveling over the edge of the balustrade without apparent guide or support.
Copending application Ser. No. 551,559, filed Feb. 20, 1975, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, provides a new and improved arrangement for supporting transparent balustrades on the truss of the transportation apparatus. This new and improved mounting arrangement utilizes a support channel in which the lower edges of the balustrade panels are disposed. The support channel functions as a clamp which securely clamps the balustrade panels in the desired vertical orientation, with a plurality of spaced clamp assemblies fastened to the truss simultaneously bending the support channel to clamp the panels of the balustrade, and clamping the support channel to the truss.
Transportation apparatus of the type which utilizes transparent balustrades terminates at each end in curved newel sections, which are cantilevered outwardly from the supporting truss. It would be desirable to provide new and improved newel sections which utilize the handrail guide arrangement of copending application Ser. No. 551,558, and the panel support arrangement of copending application Ser. No. 551,559, which properly coordinates these arrangements in the newel sections while providing the essential support and lateral stability for the cantilevered newel sections.